Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-11-26
HENRY EDGERTON.
Memorial and Resolutions Prepared b
the Bar Association

A1d6SiN NOh
To the Members Of The Bar. Your commit
tee appointed to take some action in re-
spect to the death of the Honorable Henry
Edgerton, have concluded that the most fit
ting and proper notice that could be taken
of his death would be to prepare brief BIZ
ographical sketch of his life. We beg to
submit the following:
Henry EdgertOn was born at Windsor
VT, in the year 1880. About the year 1S40
his fathers family removed to Rutland,
VT, where his father is now living at the
age of eighty-six. Edgerton came of good
stock. There were lawyers on both sides
of his family. His father was prominent
in this State in his profession, and contin-
ued in it actively until 1875. His mother
was Susan Curtis, the daughter of General
Curtis. George and Edward Curtis, her
brothers, We're prominent lawyers in the
city of New York They were intimate
friends of Webster, and many of their let
tiers are contained in the published CORE
spondence of Webster.
Edgerton was not graduate of any COL
lege, but he was an educated man. In boy-
hood he attended the village schools, and
later was sent to Caslleton and Burr Semi
naries. After leaving school he entered his
fathers office and began the study of the
law. In 1851 or 1852 he was admitted to
the bar. He then opened an Office in Rut-
land and commenced practice, in which he
continued until the autumn of 1855, when
he joined Robert Peerrpont and others and
came to California.
Upon his arrival he located in Napa. He
won his way at once to the front rank of
the profession, and for many years was
identified with all the important litigation
IN Napa and adjoining counties, which in
those days was not inconsiderable.
In 1856 he was elected District Attorney
OF Napa county. In 1859 he was elected a
State Senator for the district comprising
Napa, Solano and Yolo counties The
canvass he made was powerful, brilliant
and successful. This was the first time
that public attention was attracted to him.
Later, during the session of the Legislature
of 1860 and 1861, he again came into pub
lie notice by the introduction of the So
called Union resolutions" in the dis
cusslon OF which he distinguished himself
as debater and an orator.
Among other important matters in which
Edgerton was conspicuous figure, and
which have become part of the history of
the State, were his introduction of the res
olutions in the Legislature of 1860 81, to
expunge from the journals the resolutions
OF the Legislature censuring Broderick and
| demanding his resignation, and the power
eriul and brilliant speech he made on that
occasion.
His prosecution of Judge James H. Hardy
| on his Impeachment trial before the State
Senate, in 1862.
The canvass he made when he was can
didate for Congress in 1868.
His service in the State Senate for three
| consecutive sessions, closing with that of
! 1S77-7S, when he represented Sacramento
county.
His election as a Presidential Elector, in
1860 and again in 1884, and his services as
a member of the Constitutional Convention
| of 1879.
1t was during the discussion of the rail-
road question in this Convention and at
the close of his speech on corporations,
which occupied an afternoon, that in reply
to an attack upon the leaders of the CON
servatives, in which they had been de-
| nounced as corporation lawyers" he
spoke as follows in defense of the profess
sion
Sir, it was the skill and wisdom of law
yers that laid the foundation and reared
the superstructure of that benign Govern
ment under which we sit in this hall. 1t
was an immortal company of lawyers
whose craftsmanship, supported BY the
deathless valor of its heroic armies, kept
the Government firm on its foundation in
the most tremendous shock of war the uni
verse has ever felt. 1t was a lawyer who,
at the call of his country, in the hour of
Its dlrest peril, left the walks of his pro-
fession and became the greatest organizer
of var the world has ever seen. But, sir,
need not stand here and call the roll of its
heroes. In the Senate, upon the Bench,
at the Bar, in the camp, in the stricken
line OF battle, always and everywhere
when civilization and the rights of man.
h hax, lno Id - e
been in the vanguard of their defenders.
The bones of its martyrs are at the base of
every great monument which marks the
progress of the race, and there is not a le-
gal security or constitutional guarantee
OF liberty or labor that is not illustrated bv
their genius or consecrated and cemented
by their blood"
Probably no man in the history of this
State, from 1859 down TO q comparatively
recent date, has been so intimately identi-
he'd with politics as campaign speaker as
was Edgerton. His eloquent voice has
been heard in almost every city, town and
hamlet from one end of the State to the
other, in almost every national and State
canvass for twenty-five years past.
He was man of very extensive literary
attainments, as is clearly indicated in all of
his public speeches, which are clothed in
pure diction and abound in figures of
speech. He was not ready debater. All
of his speeches, whether made on the plat
form, in the Senate Chamber or at the Bar,
were the result of great labor and the most
careful and elaborate preparation. He was
a pleasing and popular speaker, fond of
the art, happy in expression, and was Of
commanding countenance and voice.
Nature was most bountiful in her gifts
to him, fine physical frame, high fore
head, large head, firmly-cut mouth and
features handsome in their strength, and
an amiable, affectionate and kind disposi-
ton.
In his social relations he was genial.
His amiability was proyerbial. His ur-
banity and gentleness of department never
deserted him. His personal qualities i'm.
parted charm and pleasure to those in in
tercollrse with him. He loved the society
of young men, to talk with them, and en-
| courage them in their plans and studies.
There are number among US who have
been called from his Office to the Bar. and
will not forget the debt of gratitude due
him.
Edgerton was genius, an orator and a
lawyer, but he had an overmastering poll
tical ambition, which was not gratified to
any great measure, but which was really a
| an obstacle to his success at the Bar. The
| doors of the United States Senate and of
| the House of Representatives more than
once seemed about to open to him, but
they never did open; he was always driven
| away by strange and vexed fate.
Being OF sensitive nature, the failure to
| crafty his ambition had much to do in
! shaping his course of life in his latter days.
Edgerton had his faults. What mortal
has not? He was conscious of them. and
repented in sack-cloth and ashes. He was
bis own worst enemy. His death was un-
timely.
| In the bereaved family circle from which
I he has been taken the vacancy must remain
and the loss be irreparable While we
may not invade the sacred precincts of
their sorrow or hope to tighten their Attic
ton, ii may be mournful satisfaction to
them to reflect that we, his brothers, have
met to render tribute to his memory.
We offer the following resolutions:
Resolved, That we deeply mourn the death OF
| our brother, the Hon. Henry Edgerton, and that
we hereby tender our sincere sympathy to his
| venerable father to his widow and to his rela-
| tiyes for their great affiiction.
| That in token of our deep regret for his death
a committee be appointed to present this memor-
| ial and these resolutions to the Supreme Court
| the United States Circuit Court and Department
Number Nine of the Superior Court of the city
/ and county of San Francisco. with a REQUEST
that they be spread upon the records of each
| Court.
| ResolUed, further, That copy of this memorial
and resolutions be transmitted to his relatives
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